Another one of Sunday's many games with playoff implications takes place at night in the Meadowlands as the 9-4 Giants host the 6-7 Redskins, with New York a 4.5-point favorite (36 over/under) on WagerWeb.com.
The Giants have basically secured the top wild-card spot in the NFC, but they can officially clinch a playoff spot with a win or with a loss or tie by both Minnesota and New Orleans.
Washington is one of four teams, along with Detroit, Arizona and New Orleans, that are a game back of Minnesota (7-6) for the final wild-card spot. A Redskins victory Sunday could be huge as they then play at the Vikings next weekend.
However, Washington will have to upset the Giants with backup QB Todd Collins. The 36-year-old will start for Jason Campbell, who dislocated his kneecap in last week's win over the Bears and is lost for the season.
This will be Collins' first start since Dec. 14, 1997, with Buffalo.
Last week against the Bears in relief of Campbell, Collins, in his first game action since Nov. 20, 2005, led four scoring drives. He threw two touchdown passes and finished 15-of-20 for 224 yards with no interceptions. He was even named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
"He had a certain swagger about him," left tackle Chris Samuels said. "He let you know right off the bat: 'I'm the guy now and I'm taking charge of this huddle."
New York's defense will be a stiff challenge. The Giants rank seventh in the NFL in total defense, allowing 302.8 yards per game. New York also leads the NFL with 47 sacks. New York limited the Eagles and quarterback Donovan McNabb last week to just 165 net yards passing, though it did yield 141 rushing yards.The Giants are 10th against the pass (206.8 ypg) and seventh against the run (96.1 ypg).
Expect Washington to be rather conservative, but to do so it will need more from a ground game that struggled last week. Ladell Betts had three carries for -3 yards and Clinton Portis gained only 36 yards on 17 carries.
New York's offense has struggled lately, scoring two touchdowns or fewer in five of the last six games, and quarterback Eli Manning has thrown five touchdown passes and eight interceptions during that span.
Manning is 4-2 in six career games against the Redskins, passing for five touchdowns and four interceptions.
Washington's defense stifled the Bears' running game last Thursday night, allowing just 60 yards on the ground, but New York is seventh in the league in rushing offense with a 126.2 yards per game average.
The lowdown: Giants WR Plaxico Burress has 62 receptions -- one less than he had all last season -- for 900 yards and 10 TDs, matching the career high he set in 2006. . Washington has lost three of four games this season against the NFC East, including a 24-17 home defeat to the Giants on Sept. 23. The Redskins have lost three straight overall in the series, and are 1-5 in their six visits to the Meadowlands.
New York will be going for its first back-to-back home-and-home sweeps of the Skins since 1994-95. The Redskins, who last defeated the Giants in 2005 at home, have lost the last three meetings between the teams at Giants Stadium since last winning there in 2003. . Portis has averaged only 51 rushing yards in three career road games vs. the Giants. . Washington's pass defense is ranked 23rd in the league by allowing 222.9 yards per game. . The Giants are 9-0 this season against teams that currently have losing records while 0-4 vs. teams with winning marks. That's what you call a trend. New York wins and covers on Sunday night.
Betting trends
The Redskins are 4-7 ATS.
The Redskins are 2-3 ATS away.
The Redskins are 2-2 ATS as the underdog.
The Redskins are 2-2 ATS as an away underdog.
The Giants are 8-5 ATS.
The Giants are 3-3 ATS at home.
The Giants are 4-3 ATS as the favorite.
The Giants are 2-2 ATS as a home favorite.
More NFL Trends.
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